‘Akhundzada is like Rashidun Caliphs, obey him’, Says Head of Taliban’s Ulema Gathering

Ansari, who was a critic of the former government, announced his support of the Taliban and harshly warned the group’s oppositions, reported Taliban-controlled media network, Bakhtar News Agency.

Taliban’s chief justice, Abdul Hakim Haqqani known for his extremist views, also warned the opposition groups. Haqqani stated that disagreement with the Islamic government is an impermissible act and should be avoided.

Maulawi Habibullah Haqqani, head of this assembly of the Taliban, has also told the participants that their supreme leader should be obeyed with resolution.

The Taliban has claimed that over 3,000 scholars and tribal elders participated in the assembly, but no image of the participants has been published yet.

As per the Bakhtar News Agency reports, Mullah Hassan Akhund, Taliban’s Prime Minister; Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Taliban’s chief justice and Maulawi Mujib ur Rahman Ansari were the first speakers of Thursday’s assembly. Maulawi Habibullah Haqqani has been touted as the one responsible for leading the Taliban Ulema gathering.

It was announced that the gathering would discuss economic, social, and national issues, however, till now, only discussions regarding warnings to the opposition groups have been reported.

The two leading opposition groups stated that the gathering is aimed at gaining legitimacy for the Taliban whose reign is based on fear, force, and reluctance.

The statements from the two main opposition groups of the Taliban emphasized on the formation of an inclusive interim government and elections as the solution for a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan.

The Supreme Council of National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan, with politicians included as members, such as Marshal Abdul Rashid Dostum, Atta Mohammad Noor, Mohammad Mohaqiq, and Salahuddin Rabbani, announced in a statement that the Taliban's goal of convening the Ulema and the tribal elders’ gathering is to approve the group’s proposed "constitution and appointment of the group’s supreme leader or Amir al-Mu'minin".

The leaders of the National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan, who are mainly living in Turkey after the fall of the Republic, expected that under domestic and international pressures, the Taliban would give in to the formation of an inclusive government with their own participation.

The National Resistance for the Salvation of Afghanistan’s statement added that through the gathering, the Taliban wants to send a message globally that they enjoy a national support base, however, the council stressed that the only acceptable option ahead for a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan is the "initiation of peace negotiations and the formation of an all-inclusive provisional government, followed by an elected political system."

The National Resistance Front, led by Ahmad Masoud, has also announced its opposition to the Taliban's gathering.

However, the NRF accuses the Taliban of an "instrumental use of religion" to deceive domestic and foreign public opinion.

These two main groups opposing the Taliban, asked the Afghan people and foreign countries, to not be deceived by such efforts of the group.

Meanwhile, the Taliban started the Ulema and tribal elders’ gathering in Kabul without the presence of prominent Afghan politicians, even though they had confirmed in the Doha talks that after the withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan, the group would start an intra-Afghan dialogue with all Afghan political figures and fronts.

Local sources told Afghanistan International that Mohammad Sayad, the Iranian border guard, had been killed by Taliban fighters on Tuesday evening.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry, in a series of tweets on Wednesday, confirmed that Sayad was killed in Milak area of Iran near the border with Afghanistan. The office added that authorities were investigating the incident and “as soon as the matter is clarified” they will provide more information.

Nasser Kanaani, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, said that they expect the Taliban to take firm action to clarify the magnitude of the situation, punish the perpetrators and take serious measures to prevent such incidents going forward.

Sources from Nimroz province of Afghanistan told AITV that a Taliban fighter in “plain clothes” opened fire at the Iranian border guard. According to sources, tensions between the Taliban and Iranian border guards started after a child got injured in the Province.

The incident has garnered many reactions on social media in Iran. Local twitter user Amir Chahaki wrote, “Why does Iran’s missile power, which scares US and Israel, doesn’t scare the Afghan Taliban?”

Nonetheless, Habibullah Ilham, the Taliban’s head of information and culture directorate in Nimroz province, denied the killing of Iranian border forces by Taliban members. In an audio file that he sent to the media, Ilham has said that Iranian forces opened fire towards Afghanistan soil during which a child got injured. He added that the child is currently hospitalized.

Meanwhile, Maisam Barazanda, Hermand district chief, also said that the case is under investigation and denied the allegations of the arrest of two other border guards by the Taliban.

The council has stressed that the direct vote of citizens is the only source of legitimacy of an Islamic system. The council’s statement added that the testimony of Ahl al-Ḥall wal-ʿAqd or any other resolution, recognising the Taliban, wouldn’t have religious legitimacy. Concluding the statement, the council said that the Taliban had no clear plan for an Islamic state.

However, the Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has termed the Ulema gathering as grand. The Taliban’s gathering was scheduled for today at the Loya Jirga hall in Kabul, but the group’s sources confirmed it is nonw taking place on Thursday 30th June.

The Taliban had announced that the gathering has been called at the request of religious scholars from across Afghanistan and the attendees would be tribal elders and religious scholars.

The Taliban have not issued any official statements regarding the meeting.

Around 3,000 people from across Afghanistan have been invited by the Taliban to a gathering of Islamic clerics, expected to be held at the Loya Jirga Hall. Three representatives--mostly clerics--from each village have been invited, sources said and added that the meeting will last for three days.